What Happens If My Landlord Does Not Renew My Lease?

What Happens if My Landlord Does Not Renew My Lease?

, you probably signed a lease when you agreed to rent your house or apartment. A lease, which is a legal contract, spells out your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. It also gives you a breakdown of what your landlord is responsible for. So, you may be wondering, what happens if my DoNotPay has a new Landlord Protection product that can help you with the problems you may encounter as a renter. DoNotPay can help you:

Get back your security deposits
Learn about your state's eviction laws and what protections apply in your case
Resolve disputes regarding repairs with your landlord
Resolve disputes with roommates by filing demand letters or going through small claims court
Break your lease early

Does a Landlord Need a Reason Not to Renew My Lease?

Simply put, for whatever reason they want. Or for no reason at all. However, some of the most common reasons that a landlord may choose not to renew a tenant's lease, may be based on the renter's past behavior, such as:

The renter consistently pays late or pays short	If the renter has defaulted multiple times, the landlord may have lost patience and would rather rent to a more dependable tenant.
The renter has damaged the property, the unit is not kept clean, or the renter has in some way violated the lease	The landlord may decide not to renew the if there is suspected criminal activity by the tenant on the property.
The landlord may be selling the property	He may not want an occupant when he places the property on the market.
The landlord may be renovating the property	Major renovations to the property will be easier if the unit is unoccupied.
The landlord is retaliating or discriminating against the renter	This may be less obvious and hard to prove but is also unlawful.

What Can I Do if My Landlord Will Not Renew My Lease?

If you are on good terms with your landlord, perhaps you can ask them why your lease is not being renewed. Of course, if the reason is for late rent payments or property damage, there are not a lot of options for you. Start looking for a new place to live and begin packing. If your landlord is selling the property, and you would like to remain at that location, ask for the new owner's contact information and contact them to discuss a lease. If the unit is being renovated, you can always inquire about living there once the renovations have been completed. You can ask your landlord for a recommendation, if you decide to move on, to give to a prospective landlord.

If you feel that the lease is not being renewed due to some retaliation for

complaint
discrimination against a protected group, you can consider a lawsuit.
Be sure you have sufficient documentation to back up your claim.

Even with that, it can be hard to prove in court and does not offer an immediate solution to your problem.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Having a Lease?

Having a lease provides both parties with legal documents spelling out their responsibilities and rights. It should give you, the renter, the rules for living at that location, when your rent is due, how much it is, and should include special references to pets, visitors, parking, utilities, etc. It may even outline the eviction procedure, policy on roommates, how security deposits are handled, and the penalties of paying late or even breaking your lease. It also will protect you by outlining the responsibilities of the landlord and, under most circumstances, will prevent an increase in rent for the duration of the lease.

How Can DoNotPay Help Me?

DoNotPay cannot tell your landlord to renew your lease. However, we can help with the problems that you may encounter as a renter, such as:

If you are being evicted, DoNotPay can help you with knowing the laws in your area and your rights as a renter.
DoNotPay can help you with demand letters for repairs that your landlord is responsible for.
DoNotPay can help you take your landlord to court if repairs aren't made, or the landlord does not fulfill his responsibilities as outlined by the lease.
We can help you get your security deposit back or take your landlord to court.
If you need to break your lease, DoNotPay can show you how to do so legally.
Roommates sometimes need to be evicted. DoNotPay can help with that too.

If you need help with your landlord, or if you need to know your renter's rights, let DoNotPay help you quickly and easily. All you need to do is:

Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
Select which issue applies to you.
Answer a simple set of questions so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.